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I'm taking a break from working on my PnP game Insurgence. And since the best way of not thinking about a game is to think about another one, here's an idea for a solo game I'm considering.

The game is (currently) called Jungle Path because it's about finding your way out of a nasty jungle - possibly with some jungly loot. The inspiration is, obviously, from Friedman Friese's Friday, but I'm hoping to make a somewhat quicker game. And a game with dice.

The story
You and maybe some helpers have crashed on a jungle planet you were very much hoping to exploit for profit. But instead you have to find your way back to the base before the quite nasty wildlife or the even nastier plant life exploits you. But maybe, just maybe, you can not just survive, but also grab some valuable jungle-loot on your way.

The stuff
The game consists of a number of dice representing how well you (and maybe your party) perform in the jungle. They are standard dice and the numbers represent perception, agility, smarts, fight, and improvisation. There's also a deck of cards representing hazards and possible paths. The goal is to find a number of matching paths before you run out of stamina and/or party members.

A Game turn
1. First roll your dice (probably 5 or 6) to see what you can do this round. Ones are useless, and a single 6 (improvisation) can be made into any other result.
2. Use rerolls. You have a set number of rerolls (maybe tied to stamina much like life points are used to draw cards in Friday) and you can use them now or later in the turn.
3. Choose A, B, or C
A - Push forward. Take the topmost card and place it facedown in a pile. This pile is the next level of the jungle, a level you will (if you're lucky) encounter later). Then reveal the next card and deal with the challenge (see below).
B - Scout. You can now use perception to draw a number of cards. One of these cards must be placed in the next level pile, one must be encountered and the rest may be discarded or placed in the next level pile.
C - Rest. You gain stamina, but place two cards facedown into the next level pile.

Dealing with hazards/encounters
Almost all the cards will have some sort of hazard to deal with. Each hazard requires you to spend certain dice, and if you can't you will be punished. Some hazards will give you a benefit if you deal with them, others will require you to both deal with them and pay a little extra. You may use rerolls at any time during an encounter.

If you deal with it, you may either discard it, or place it in front of you if it is a path and the path fits with your current path card (see below). If you fail the hazard, it is placed in the next level pile and can haunt you again later.

Some of the hazards will also have loot that can give you points if you survive.

Placing a path
Some cards have a path pattern in the bottom. It can be a crossroads, a t-junction or some such. The rule is that you may only use a path if it takes you either sideways or forward without turning the card. So if your current path runs east-west, you can't use a path that runs from west towards south. However, that card could be used if your current path is a crossroads or a t-junction. When you have a certain amount of paths, you win the game.

Next level
When you run out of cards, you play the next level. Maybe you pay a price every time you advance a level.

Problems and concerns
When viewed from a distance, it seems to me like the game could work. And I like that you have to decide whether you want to scout or chance it. What I am worried about, though, is that there's not much progression. In Friday your deck will get better as you play, but will this game just be x rounds of the same? I think that allowing you to gain a benefit (one time use or even permanent) from certain hazards will help with this, but I'm not sure. Also I get the feeling that while I just want to make some cards and give it a spin, it would most likely benefit from a lot of probability calculations which is, let's be honest, the boring part of game design.

So, what do you think? Do you like the idea? Do you see any immediate problems or challenges? Or do you just have a great idea for a better title? Then don't hesitate to drop a comment.